The Nesting Process of a Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Editor’s Note: The following article was written by STPS member and high school student Shreya Reddy.

The Nesting Process of a Loggerhead Sea Turtle

by Shreya Reddy

When and Where Do Loggerheads Typically Nest?

When – In the northern hemisphere, mating occurs between late March to early June. Then, females lay eggs between late April to early September. Loggerheads are known as solitary, night-time nesters. Specifically, loggerheads nest between the hours of 10 P.M. and 3 A.M.

Where – Generally, loggerheads highly favor reflective beaches, meaning that they prefer beaches that are wave reflecting. All reflective beaches have relatively coarse sands and a steeply sloped foreshore (the area swept by tides). These beaches are narrower and tend to form cusps, which are regularly spaced mounds and dips in foreshore sands.

Loggerhead Nesting Process Overview

The loggerhead nesting process is similar among the seven species of sea turtles. Like other species, a loggerhead may abandon her nesting attempt before laying eggs, but this rarely happens after she lays eggs.

Seven Stages of the Loggerhead’s Nesting Process

1. Emergence from the Sea – The female crawls out of the surf and up the foreshore onto the upper beach berm. At this point, attempts are often abandoned, especially if the turtle is disturbed. For this stage, the average duration is about 10 minutes.
2. Site Preparation (Body Pitting) – The loggerhead uses her front and rear flippers to move sand out of a pit and makes mounds to the side and behind. At this point, turtles may abandon their nest, especially if they are disturbed. Typically, the average duration for this stage is about 5 minutes, but it can take longer if multiple body pits are tried.
3. Egg Chamber Digging – The female uses alternating flick and dig strokes from her rear flippers to form a smooth hole, which is wider at the bottom and as deep as her flippers can reach. At this point, disturbed turtles abandon. For this stage, the average duration is 18 minutes.
4. Egg Laying – The female is motionless between contractions which raises her rear flippers and proceeds each drop of 1 to 4 eggs. For this stage, the average duration is 18 minutes, however large egg clutches take longer.
5. Egg Covering – The loggerhead’s rear flippers pull the sand inward to cover the clutch. Then, the rear flippers knead the covering sand to compact it. The average duration for this stage is 13 minutes.
6. Camouflaging – All four flippers scatter sand in a wide mound behind the female. Scrape marks and a wide mound remain. Slight forward movement elongates this mound. The clutch is often at the mound’s crest. The female then becomes covered with sand. For this stage, the average duration is 16 minutes but can be less if the female is disturbed.
7. Returning to the Sea – The female turns (if facing landward) and crawls toward the sea. Her downhill pace is more rapid than her ascent. However, if the female is disturbed, her downhill pace is even quicker. For this stage, the average duration is about 4 minutes.

Source:

NOAA Fisheries “Loggerhead Turtle” webpage – https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/loggerhead-turtle